Bengaluru: A new sky show based on NASA’s historic Voyager missions was inaugurated at the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium on Wednesday, marking an addition to the city’s public science outreach initiatives.
The show, titled “Voyager – The Never-Ending Journey”, was formally launched by N. S. Boseraju, who said the initiative reflects efforts to promote scientific awareness and inspire interest in space exploration among young people.
The inaugural event was presided over by A. S. Kiran Kumar, who highlighted the significance of the Voyager missions as a landmark in space science and engineering. He noted that presenting such missions in an accessible format could encourage students to pursue careers in astronomy and related fields.
The presentation traces the journey of the twin Voyager spacecraft launched by NASA in 1977. Using visual simulations, the show depicts their passage through the asteroid belt and their exploration of the outer planets, including Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, along with their moons.
The production also draws attention to the Golden Records carried aboard the spacecraft, which include greetings in multiple languages, among them Kannada, intended for potential extraterrestrial intelligence.
According to officials, the show runs for 33 minutes, including a 24-minute main feature and a nine-minute introductory segment on early astronomical observations prior to the Space Age. Visitors are also shown a short preview of an upcoming in-house production on India’s lunar missions.
The programme will be screened daily in both English and Kannada, with multiple shows scheduled throughout the day. Of the 200 seats available per screening, 150 can be booked online, while the remaining tickets are issued at the venue shortly before each show.
Officials at the planetarium said the new show is part of ongoing efforts to update exhibits and enhance public engagement with science through digital and immersive formats.